Comb box for cards



arch W, 1936. J. Moss 2,33,% I

COMB BOX FOR CARDS Filed April 15, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1U, H936. J 055 COMB BOX FOR CARDS Filed April 15, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lilllllllllllll I Patented Mar. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE COMB Box roa CARDS Application April 15, 1931, Serial No. 530,319

11 Claims. (01. 184-13) The invention relates to oil retaining means or arrangements for casings containing driving mechanism in general, and more especially for comb boxes, containing the rapidly moving mech- 5 anism for vibrating at high speed the comb which cooperates with the doffer roll of a carding engine, and also containing the necessary lubricant for the moving parts. 7

The principal object of the invention is to prevent substantially or completely the seepage or leakage of oil between the case proper and its cover, and through the shaft-bearing in the sides of the box. A further object is to accomplish this result in a structure which is markedly inexpensive, in comparison with others in its general class. Another object is to provide improved lubrication for the shaft-bearings formed in the sides of the box. 7

In these comb boxes, the rapidly moving parts of the mechanism are immersed in or contact with the oil therein, which is forcibly splashed throughout the box and against the cover and beaten into a froth; the lubricant is thus so conditioned and impelled that it tends persistently to leak or seep through the cover-joint or other interstices, including the shaft-bearings; this leaking oil reaches the comb and ruins the fleece, and spreads over outer surfaces of the box adjacent parts of the machine and the floor below, and is otherwise very objectionable, as well understood in the art. The common practice in attempting to overcome this leakage tendency with respect to the cover-joint is to fit the covermargin to the box-rim with exceptional accuracy, since very slight inequalities in the contacting surfaces permit oil-seepage; the effort to overcome the difiiculty in this way often goes to the length of testing the surfaces with Prussian blue and scraping, as is done in fitting babbitted bearings, with excessive labor cost; also in some cases it has been necessary to provide a screw-joint for the cover, and also to scrape or otherwise carefully fit the engaging surfaces as above. In general, the methods of manufacture, finishing,

and maintaining such fitted joints are objectionably tedious and expensive.

The invention avoids these complications and excessive costs, and the inherent tendency of the fitted covers to permit oil-escape, and practica1-. ly or completely prevents leakage, by providing the cover with a depending flange, extending down inside the box in spaced relation to the boxwall, and also providing in the box a flange cooperating with the depending cover-flange to 5 form a primary seal for the box in addition to the usual closure of the box at the line where the cover rests upon it, which closure now becomes of secondary importance. Preferably also, the box-flange is formed to provide a gutter, with oildrainage or return holes, and the margin of the depending cover-flange has at least two distinct bead, rib or lip-formations, cooperating with the box-flange in a manner fully explained below. The general action or result of this arrangement is that the splashed or emulsified oil cannot have directaccess to the meeting-zone of the cover and. box-wall, but is largely intercepted by the flangeformations, and any oil which passes the loweradjacent portions of such flanges is caused to run downward and to be collected in the boxflange-gutter, whence it passes through the return-holes, back to the oil-body in the box. Tendency of oil to reach the box and cover juncture is thus reduced to such an extent that there is no necessity for a fitted joint, and the box and cover may be plain castings, without any finishing operations whatever upon the adjacent covermargin and box-wall surfaces; and in fact, breather-spaces or apertures are preferably provided between these surfaces, and there is no appreciable oil leakage through these spaces. Also it is found to be unnecessary even to positively fasten the cover in place, and in preferred. embodiments the cover simply rests upon the boxtop, if necessary with screw or other fastening devices merely to keep it in place. By the stated means or arrangements the production and maintenance costs are greatly reduced, and at the same time leakage is reduced, minimized, or entirely prevented.

An additional feature of importance is a novel arrangement of oil passages, providing for oil circulation to, through and from the shaft-bearings, back to the oil reservoir (or interior of the box), with provision for collecting and returning oil at the outward portion of the bearings, and also for wiping a circular zone of the driveshaft-journal, adjacent the bearing-end, as fully explained below. A further feature of the invention is the provision of bearing-supports or plates of similar or identical form, for the driving and. driven shafts.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a comb box comprising the comb-driving mechanism and its casing, embodying the invention in one form.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the parts of Fig. 1, with the cover removed.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation with the upper part in section, at the plane 3-3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the case or box-body, from a viewpoint opposite to Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the same.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a bearing plate.

Fig. 7 is a section at 'i-'|, Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the driving shaft.

Fig. 9 is an end. View, from the right of Fig. 8.

The main or body-section of the comb box, hereafter called the case I, is usually of rectangular form (in plan and horizontal sections), and the'cover 3 is of similar contour. This shape may obviously be varied without affecting the invention features. For convenient identification and explanation, the case-wall 5 is called the front, and l the rear Wall, these being connected by end walls 9 and H. The case has a closed bottom l3 with any suitable means or formations such as the T-slots l5, for securing it to a frame-part of the carding engine. The lower portion of the case constitutes an oil-sump or reservoir, in which an oil body is maintained, up to a desired level, as will appear.

Wall 1 has usually integrally-formed therein, near one end-wall, an inwardly-projecting bearing-sleeve l1, and the opposite side-wall 5 has a similar bearing-sleeve l9 near the other endwall. The bore 2| of each sleeve, constituting the bearing surface for a shaft-journal, has at its outward end a counter-bore 23 to receive a locating stud or boss of a bearing-plate, or a separate filler-disk, as will appear. Opposite each bearing-sleeve, in the opposite case-wall, is a circular aperture 25 to receive a bearing-sleeve on a bearing-plate, as also presently explained.

The two bearing-plates 2'! (one of which is shown separately in Figs. 6 and 7) may be similar, or, as shown, they are of identical form, being respectively secured to the opposite front and rear walls 5 and T in symmetrically-reversed positions. Each plate has near one end a bearingsleeve 29 adapted to project inward through one of the apertures 25, while the plate fits flat against the trued outer face of an elongated boss 3| on the wall, with its other end-portion overlying the sleeve-bore 2! of the same wall; and the plate is detachably secured in place, as by cap-screws 33. Preferably, the plate has at its end away from sleeve 29 a short cylindrical stud or boss 35 fitting in the corresponding counterbore 23, with its end abutting a shaft-end, Or, this member 35 may be a separate filling or spacing disk, located in the counter-bore, between the plate and the shaft-end. Each plate also has at its outer face, opposite sleeve 29, an enlargement or boss 31. The boss and sleeve have therethrough a bore, the inward portion 39 whereof constitutes a bearing for a shaft-journal, while the outward portion 4| may have a loose fit, or free clearance about the shaft. In this bore, in an outward position, and between its portions 39, 4|, there is formed an annular oil-collecting channel or chamber 43. Other bearing-oiling and sealing features will be referred to below.

A rotary driving-shaft 45 (shown separately in Figs. 8 and 9) has an eccentric 4'! next to a counter-weight 49; at one end a journal 5| extends from the eccentric, and at the other side of the counter-weight, it has a journal 53. The shaft-end portion 55 is usually tapered, as shown, to receive a drive-connection (gear or pulley). Between the journal 53 and end-portion 55 is an annular oil-throwing flange 51 intermediate two annular oil-grooves or channels 59.

This shaft is mounted, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, with its journal 5| in bearing 2| of sleeve l1 in case-wall 1, and journal 53 in bearing-bore 39 of the opposite plate 21. Outer faces of the eccentric and counter-weight, respectively, thus confront the inner ends of sleeves l1 and 29 with a suitable running fit, while the oil-throwing flange 51 is centered in the oil-chamber 43, and the shaft-end extends (with slight or ample clearance) through the outer sleeve-bore-portion 4|. One end of the shaft and its bearing, is thus sealed against oil leakage by the overlying portion of plate 27, with the use of a suitable gasket between the plate and the boss 3!, if desired, while oilleakage through the other bearing is prevented in a manner to be described.

The other (oscillating, driven) shaft 5| is generally similar or identical, except that between its journals corresponding to 5| and 53 of shaft 45, instead of an eccentric and counter-weight, it has an enlargement 53 shaped to provide a suitably counter-weighted crank structure, including arms 55 and a connecting crank-pin, details of which are not vital, and therefore not particularly shown; also, the end of this shaft which projects outward from the case is elongated, to support the oscillating comb, or for connection to parts which carry the comb. This driven shaft is mounted in a way similar to eccentric shaft 45 but in relatively-opposite position, in the other pair of bearing-sleeves, so that when the parts are assembled (in a manner which will be obvious without explanation) one end of one shaft projects through the corresponding plate, or plate boss 37, at one side of the case, while the similar portion of the other shaft projects at the opposite side.

Eccentric 41 is connected to the crank-pin of shaft 6| by a pitman 61.

In operation, shaft 45 is rotated at high speed, and through the eccentric, pitman or crank connection, oscillates shaft 6! at a corresponding high rate, to produce the desired rapid vibratory movement of the comb. The oil level is kept nearly up to the shafts, so that the moving parts are partly immersed in oil, and continually churn, circulate and splash it all over the inner surface of the box, and incidentally beat it into a froth, so that it persistently leaks or seeps through any accessible crevice.

To prevent oil leakage at the top of the case, instead of the tightly-fitted and fastened cover ordinarily employed, having the disadvantageous characteristics above stated, the invention provides a cover 3, having, in cooperation with the upper portion of the case, novel and improved oil baffling, retaining, and returning means, as now described.

The lower marginal face H of the cover rests as usual on the upper edge-faces of the casewalls, but it is unnecessary to accurately fit or finish these surfaces, which may in fact be left rough, as cast. It is also unnecessary to fasten the cover, which may merely rest upon the case. The cover has a continuous depending flange 13, usually of downwardly tapering section, or at least its outer faces 15 are preferably slanted downwardly-inward, and in spaced relation to the case-walls, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Preferably, also, a shallow rounded channel 1'! is formed at the outer base-perimeter of the flange.

The case-walls have a continuous inner flange or ledge 19, projecting generally toward and below the cover-flange, and a gutter 8| of substantial area (width and depth) is formed in the upper face of this case-flange. At the bottom of the cover-flange 13 is a depending, relatively thin, continuous lip 83, confronting and moderately spaced from the inner, vertical face of the case-flange. Preferably the cover-flange has also a shallow, depending rib or bead 85, external to the lip 83 and spaced therefrom by a rounded channel or fillet 81. The lower face of the bead 85 confronts, with substantial clearance, the upper face of the inward perimeter of the casefiange, so that the upper, inner edge 89 thereof is just below the inverted channel 8 between the cover-flange lip 83 and bead 85. It is to be noted that the parts of the cover and the casing are spaced apart and well out of contact in this vicinity.

The case-flange has one or more drain, or oilreturn holes 9|, passing through it at the bottom of the gutter 8 I. Preferably, as shown, there are two of these holes, located, as indicated in various figures, and as most clearly shown in Fig. 2, at one end of the case, which is the end at which the splashed or thrown oil moves principally downward, on account of the direction of rotation of shaft 415 and its eccentric and counterweight.

Preferably, also, one or more breather apertures are provided, above the oil level, and intermediate the cover and case. As shown, there are four of these breather channels 93, formed in the under marginal face I! of the cover, at midlength of its sides, confronting the upper casewall faces. These apertures provide a relief for expanding gases (air or oil-fumes), preventing pressure-accumulation within the case, which would tend to force oil out through the bearings.

Splashing oil or accumulating oil-foam tending to escape at the cover-joint first encounters and is bafiied by lip 83 and the under-face of case-flange l9. Oil or froth which passes upward between the lip and the opposed face of the case-flange is retarded in the inverted channel 81 and then creeps down the inward face of bead 85, from which it runs into gutter 8i and drains back therefrom into the lower part of the case, through holes 9!. It is thus impossible for thrown oil, or creeping foam, to have direct access to the case-and-cover joint; all oil passing the depending flange 73 is caught at its highest point of travel within the channel 81 and directed into the gutter 8!, which is well below the case-edge, and at the bottom of the space or chamber, of substantial volume, formed between the cover-flange and the case-walls.

It should be noted that, preferably, as shown, the smallest spaces between coverand caseflange portions, namely, between lip 83, bead 85, and adjacent parts of the case-flange, are of greater than capillary dimension; and above bead 85 there is a still greater space between the coverfiange and the case-walls; so that capillary action 7 on any ascending oil is prevented. This avoidance of capillary flow, together with the baffling action of the flange and rib-formations, and collection of oil in gutter 8!, is probably the principal reason for, or is an important contributing factor to the practical or complete avoidance of any leakage or seepage of oil at the top of the case. In known structures, such as referred to at the beginning hereof, in which the covermargin engages the case-wall and oil has direct access to this joint, and effort is made to avoid leakage by carefully fitting the surfaces, leakage is probably caused principally by the fact that any slight irregularities in these closelyopposed surfaces produce between them extremely narrow spaces, which are therefore of capillary. dimension, and have powerful capillary action on oil, thus producing the objectionable leakage, which it is practically impossible to prevent, even by painstaking and expensive methods or precautions.

Certain features of the shaft-bearings have been described. In addition, the bearings have oil-supply, circulating, return, and leak-preventing features, as follows:

First referring to the bearings in plates 31, which are open bearings, in the sense that the respective shafts pass completely through them, having portions projecting externally of the case, and are therefore especially liable to leakage:

As best shown in Figs. 3 and 7, an upper, substantially vertical oil supply-hole 99 is provided in bearing-sleeve 29, having its upper end just inward of the case-wall, and leading to shaftjournal 53. Oil running down from case-flange Hi-and along the case-wall has direct access to this passage and through it, to the journal, which is thoroughly lubricated, and oil working outward along the journal and following the bore is caught in the annular bearing-channel, or chamber i3. Some of the oil runs along the shaft, beyond the end of the bearing-bore, and if it succeeds in passing the first groove 59 is thrown off of the narrow edge of flange 51 by centrifugal force, and is alsocaught in the chamber. The oil accumulating at the bottom of the chamber is drained back into the case-interior through a communicating return-passage llll in sleeve 29 below the bearing-bore.

For additionally preventing or reducing the outward flow to chamber 43, novel wiping means is provided, consisting of a vertical notch or slot H33 cut in the bearing-body below the shaft, and extending from the bearing-bore to return-passage lil l. Since the weight of the shaft causes it to bear against the bottom of the bearing, one of the edges I95, Fig. '7, of this notch has an oil wiping or scraping action, tending to wipe a short annular zone of the journal surface, at the outward end thereof, and to divert this wiped-off oil directly into the return-passage, without opportunity for it to pass farther outward along the shaft. Leakage from the open bearings is thus reduced, or practically eliminated, to such an extent that, as earlier stated, the outward portion ll of the bearing-bore may, if desired, have substantial clearance about the shaft, and little or no appreciable leakage is observed at this point.

There is thus provided, in addition to preventing a leakage, ample continuous supply and circulation of lubricant to, through and back from the bearing.

For each of the bearings in sleeves 5'! (formed on the case-walls 5 and l) which are closed:

bearings, in the sense that the shaft ends do not extend outward through them, and the ends of the bearing-bores are closed, and leakage is prevented by plates 21, an oil supply-hole It? is drilled in the upper portion of the sleeve, leading to the journal 5|, and an oil return-hole N39 is drilled in the lower portion of the sleeve, leading from the journal end to the case-interior, thus providing ample oil-supply and circulation.

While I have illustrated and described certain forms in which the invention may be embodied, I am aware that many modifications may be made ther e'in by any person skilled in the art, Without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the particular forms shown, or to the details of construction thereof, but

What I do claim is:

l. A machine structure comprising in combination a case containing oil, mechanism within the case immersed in and acting to throw the oil, a cover having its margin overlying the case-wall and having a flange depending within the case and spaced from the case-wall, a flange on the case-wall having its inward perimeter adjacent and below a lower portion of the cover-flange, and having vents draining away oil caught between the latter flange and the case-wall, the flanges serving to intercept oil moving toward the juncture of the cover and case-wall.

2. A machine structure comprising in combination a case containing oil, mechanism within the case acting to throw the oil, a cover having its margin overlying the case-wall and having a flange depending within the case and spaced from the case-wall, and a flange on the case-wall having its inward perimeter adjacent, outside, and spaced from a lower portion of the coverflange.

3. A machine structure comprising in combination a case containing oil, mechanism within the case acting to throw the oil, a cover having its margin overlying the case-wall and having a splash-flange depending within the case, a splashflange on the case-wall having its inward perimeter adjacent, outside, and spaced from a lower perimetral portion of the cover-flange, and having openings draining away oil caught within the flange on the case-wall.

4. A machine structure comprising in combina tion a case containing oil, mechanism within the case acting to throw the oil, a cover having its margin overlying the case-wall and having a flange depending within the case, and spaced from the case-wall, a flange on the case-wall having its inward perimeter outside and adjacent a lower portion of the cover-flange, the caseflange being formed as a drip-gutter, and being provided with drain-passages to prevent accumulation of oil in the gutter.

5. A machine structure comprising in combination a case containing oil, mechanism within the case acting to throw the oil, a cover having its margin overlying the case-wall and having a flange depending within the case, and spaced from the case-wall, and a flange on the case-wall having its inward perimeter adjacent and outside a lower portion of the cover-flange, the caseflange being provided with a gutter and having one or more oil-drain holes in locations where the general direction of thrown oil is downward.

6. A machine structure comprising in combination a case containing oil, mechanism within the case acting to throw the oil, a cover having its margin overlying the case-wall and having a flange depending within the case and spaced from the case-walls, and a flange extending inward from the case-walls and outside and above the bottom of the cover-flange, the lower portion of the cover-flange and the perimeter of the caseflange being mutually formed to provide a tortuous oil-baffling passage.

'7. A machine structure comprising in combination a case containing oil, mechanism within the case acting to throw the oil, a cover having its margin overlying the case-wall and having a flange depending within the case, and a flange extending inward from the case-walls, the lower portion of the cover-flange extending inside and below the rim of the case-flange while the upper portion has a depending rib above and outside the case-flange, and drainage means carrying oif oil caught within the case-flange.

8. A machine structure comprising in combination a case containing oil, mechanism within the case acting to throw the oil, a cover having its margin overlying the case-wall and having a flange depending within the case and spaced from the case-walls, a flange extending inward from the case-walls and outside of the cover-flange, the lower portion of the cover-flange and the perimeter of the case-flange being mutually formed to provide a tortuous oil-baffiing passage, and the case-flange having in its upper face an oil-collecting gutter, the latter being provided with drain-passages to prevent accumulation of oil in the gutter.

9. A machine structure comprising in combination a case containing oil, mechanism within the case acting to throw the oil, a cover having its margin overlying the case-wall and having a flange depending within the case and spaced from the case-walls, and a flange extending inward from the case-walls, the cover-flange having a depending lip confronting the inner perimeter of the case-flange, and also having above and outwardly of the lip a depending rib overlying the inward margin of the case-flange.

10. A machine structure comprising in combination a case containing oil, mechanism within the case acting to throw the oil, a cover having its margin overlying the case-wall and having a flange depending within the case, and a flange on the case-wall having its inward perimeter adjacent and outside a lower portion of the coverflange, and in spaced relation allowing free airflow between, breather-apertures being provided at the meeting-zone of the cover and case-walls.

11. A comb box comprising in combination a case containing oil, a driving shaft, a comb-shaft, and moving shaft-connecting elements within the case contacting with the oil therein, a loosefltting cover for the case having a flange depending within the case in spaced relation to the interior walls of the latter, the flange having a peripheral channel, and an internal flange on the case having a salient portion entering such channel and in substantial spaced relation thereto.

JOSEPH MOSS. 

